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An Unlikely Rescue

On May 13, 1945, a crew of 24 soldiers took off to fly over
the jungles of New Guinea when their plane crashed into a mountain in the midst
of the thick jungle.Only three of the
crew members survived to find themselves face to face with natives that were
believed to be cannibals.What kept them
from being eaten by the starving tribe was a prophecy that white-skinned ghosts
would one day fall from the sky.The
rescue planes circled overhead for days without a way to land and rescue the
crew.They started dropping supplies and
more people into the jungle in hopes that numbers would help keep them safe and
possibly help them escape.

After two months, they realized that the plan was not going
to work.They decided to begin dropping
the supplies for the crew to build a giant hang glider.Their plan appears to come right out of a
cartoon.There was no cliff nor enough
clearing within the thick jungle for the glider to get in the air.The hang glider had a long bungee cord with a
giant hook.When it was built, a plane
with another giant hook flew overhead and connected with the glider pulling it
out of the jungle and gliding to safety.Everyone was rescued.

I would call this an unlikely rescue.There were many reasons why it should not
have worked, yet the crew was saved.Proverbs 24:11 says, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.”There are thousands of people living in this
city who are on their way to an eternal death.Continuing to “do church” like we have over the last few decades is not
going to rescue them.We need to think
outside the box with a bold idea, willing to risk our lives, in order to rescue
those on their way to eternity without Christ.Are you willing to do whatever it takes to take the name of Jesus to the
dying?

I am a servant of my Lord, Jesus. I serve Him as pastor of Eastern Heights Baptist Church in Bartlesville, OK. I am married to Tara and we have six children, Jordan, Jonathan, Abel, Ruby, David and Hannah. I have a bachelors degree from Oklahoma Baptist University, a master's degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a doctorate of ministry degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Though I am proud of my education, I hope to be more known for my obedience in following Jesus Christ as I love the Lord with all my heart and love my neighbor as my self.